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When a Man’s in Love

[ Roud 990 ; Laws O20 ; Henry H211 ; Ballad Index LO20 ; trad.]

Sarah Makem of Keady, Co. Armagh, sang A Man in Love in 1957 to Diane Hamilton. Her recording was included in 2011 on her Musical Traditions anthology As I Roved Out. Rod Stradling noted in the accompanying booklet:

This was written by Hugh McWilliams, a county Antrim schoolmaster who published two volumes Poems and Songs on Various Subjects in 1816 and 1831. This song, directed to be sung to the air Moses Gathering the Children, was originally rather more florid and has been published under John Moulden’s editorship in Songs of Hugh McWilliams, Schoolmaster, 1831 (Portrush, 1993).

Another night-visiting song; not a particularly well-known one, with only 36 Roud entries, almost all of which are from Ireland, and mostly from the North. Every named singer is well-known, and this in itself is unusual—there are usually some unfamiliar names in such lists. It must have remained popular with singers since 23 of the entries refer to sound recordings but, again unusually, only one—that by Paddy Tunney—is available on CD.

Paddy Tunney of Co. Fermanagh sang When a Man’s in Love on the anthology Songs of Courtship (The Folk Songs of Britain Volume 1; Caedmon 1961; Topic 1968) and on his 1965 Topic album of Irish traditional ballads, A Wild Bee’s Nest . The latter recording was also included in 1998 on the Topic anthology Come Let Us Buy the License (The Voice of the People Volume 1).

A.L. Lloyd sang When a Man’s in Love a year later on his 1966 Prestige/Transatlantic LP The Best of A.L. Lloyd too. He noted:

Anyone seeking an object lesson in the way of the folk with tune could hardly do better than compare a few of the many versions of the Dives and Lazarus (or Star of the County Down) melody. When a Man’s in Love is a particular fine variant of this tune which, it is said, was the one “most frequently heard in the streets of London in the mouths of men seeking employment” in the 19^th century. It’s another of the tunes for which England is indebted to generous Ireland. Printed versions of the song show it has spread (from Ulster?) at least as far as Nova Scotia.

Shirley Collins recorded When a Man’s in Love in Blackheath, London, in c. 1964. This previously unreleased recording from Alan Lomax’s The Folk Songs of North America had to wait until 2002 to be included on her Fledg’ling anthology Within Sound.

Five Hand Reel sang When a Man’s in Love in 1976 on their eponymous first album, Five Hand Reel.

Chris Foster recorded When a Man’s in Love for his 1977 Topic album Layers and for his 2003 CD Traces.

Danny Spooner sang When a Man’s in Love as the title track of his 1987 album When a Man’s in Love. He noted:

These beautifully simple words of youthful love and sexual frustration are carried on a variant of the tune Dives and Lazarus. It is said to have been a popular song in the industrial towns of England during late nineteenth century and probably originates in Ireland.

The Voice Squad sang When a Man’s in Love on their 1987 album Many’s the Foolish Youth. Seán Corcoran noted:

A night-visiting song found in many variants all over Ireland and in the New World. This setting comes from the singing of Paddy Tunney of Fermanagh.

Sarah McQuaid sang When a Man’s in Love in 1997 on her first album, When Two Lovers Meet. She noted:

I heard the wonderful Dundalk singer Seán Corcoran doing this song a good few years ago and was struck by its sensuous lyrics (“her hands so soft her breath so sweet / her tongue did gently glide”—mmmm!). It belongs to a genre known as ‘night visiting’ songs and probably dates from the mid-19^th century.

Mick West sang When a Man’s in Love in 2009 on his Greentrax CD Sark o’ Snaw. The album’s booklet noted:

This immensely popular song has a very strong Irish appeal and identification, partly due to fact that it was a great favourite of the late Paddy Tunney. It has also been recovered in the USA.

Seán Corcoran is the source of Mick’s version here.

James Findlay sang When a Man’s in Love in 2011 on his Fellside CD Sport and Play. He noted:

I learnt this from a recording of the great singer Paddy Tunney and it is a song which does belong to the ‘Night Visiting’ group. The first verse clearly signifies the emotions and feelings of a young man in love, which is what drew me to the song.

Andy Turner learned When a Man’s in Love from the singing of Dick Gaughan on Five Hand Reel’s eponymous first LP, and sang it as the 27 January 2013 entry of his project A Folk Song a Week.

Damien O’Kane sang Many’s the Night on his 2017 CD Avenging & Bright. He noted:

I got this song from the one and only Shamrock, Rose and Thistle: Folk Songs of North Derry [by Hugh Shields]. It was sung by the wonderful, late Eddie Butcher who surely should have his own statue in the middle of Magilligan by now! It’s a night-visit song where the boy obtains the girl through a bit of blackmail!

Lyrics

A.L. Lloyd sings When a Man’s in Love

When a man’s in love he knows no cold like me not long ago.
To see his girl like a hero bold, he’ll plough through frost and snow.
The moon she’d gently shed her light along me weary way,
Until I came to that sweet place where all my treasure lay.

I knocked at my love’s window, saying, “My dear, are you within?”
And softly then she drew the bolt and slyly I slipped in.
Her breath was sweet, her hands was neat, her tongue did gently glide,
As I gave her a kiss and I surely didn’t miss and I asked to be my bride.

“Take me to your bedroom, dear, oh, take me to your bed.
Take me to your bedroom, dear, to rest my weary head.”
“To take you to my bedroom, dear, my parents they’d never agree,
So please sit by the bright fireside and I’ll sit close to thee.”

“Many long month I’ve courted you against your parent’s will.
You never once said you’d be my bride so now my love be still.
Tomorrow I am going to cross the sea to far Newfoundland shore,
And you will never, never see your faithful lover no more.”

“Oh are you going to leave me now? whatever shall I do?
I’ll break every bond of love, my darling to please you.
Perhaps my parents may forgive or surely may forget,
But I’m resolved this very hour to take you to my bed.”

Well with a kiss the bond was sealed, our joys they did come down.
From courtship scarce I was released as we became as one.
Though all outside was frost and cold, two fires they burned within,
And we rolled there together in that sweet place until the day did dawn.

Chris Foster sings When a Man’s in Love

When a man’s in love he feels no cold, like me not long ago,
Like a hero bold, to see his girl, he’ll plough through frost and snow.
The moon she gently shed her light along my dreary way,
Until I came to that sweet spot where all my treasure lay.

I knocked at my love’s window, thinking, “Me dear, are you within?”
And softly she undid the latch, and slyly I slipped in.
Her hand was soft and her breath was sweet, her tongue did gently glide,
I stole a kiss, it was no miss, and I asked her to be my bride.

“Take me to your chamber, love, take me to your bed,
Take me to your chamber, love, to rest my weary head.”
“To take you to my chamber, love, my parents they won’t agree,
But sit you down by yon bright fire and I will sit close by thee.”

“Many is the time I courted you against your father’s will,
But you never once said that you would be my bride, so now my dear sit still,
Tonight I am going to cross the sea, to far Columbia’s shore,
And you will never never see your youthful lover more.

“Many is the dark and stormy night I came to visit you,
Whether tossed about by cold winter winds, or wet by the morning dew.
Tonight our courtship is at an end between my love and me,
So fare you well, my favourite girl, a long farewell to thee.”

“And are you going to leave me now? pray what can I do?
I would break through every bond of love to go along with you.
Perhaps my parents won’t forget, but maybe they’ll forgive –
For from this hour I am resolved along with you to live.”

And then with a kiss the ring was closed, the wedding it’s come on,
From courtship’s cares they are released, these two were joined in one.
Then with a kiss the ring was closed, the wedding it’s come on,
From courtship’s cares they are released, these two were joined in one.

Danny Spooner sings When a Man’s in Love

When a man’s in love he knows no cold, like me not long ago,
And he will to his truelove come all through the frost and snow.
The Moon did shed her silver light along me weary way,
Until, I came to that sweet place where all my pleasures lay.

I knocked gently at the door, saying, “Love are you within?”
And shyly she has slipped the lock and slyly I slipped in.
Her waist was neat, her breath was sweet and her tongue did gently glide,
As I gave her a kiss and I surely didn’t miss and I asked her to be my bride.

“Oh, take me to your bedroom love, come take me to your bed,
Come take me too your bedroom love to rest my weary head.”
“To take you to my bedroom love, my parents would never agree,
So you sit by the warm fireside and I’ll sit close to thee.”

“Many’s the month I’ve courted you against your parents will,
And never once came to your bed so now my love be still,
Tomorrow I’m going to cross the main, to far Van Diemen’s Shore,
And you will never ever see your gentle lover no more.”

“Oh are you going to leave me now, whatever shall I do,
I’ll break every bond of love, my darling, to please you.
Perhaps my parents will forgive or maybe they’ll forget,
But I’m resolved this very night to take you to my bed.

And with a kiss the bond was sealed, my joys they did come round,
From courtships cares I was released as we became as one.
Though all outside was frost and cold, two fires they burned within
As we rolled together in that sweet place until the day did dawn.

The Voice Squad sing When a Man’s in Love

When a man’s in love he feels no cold, like me not long ago,
Like a hero bold to see his girl he’d plough through the frost and snow.
The moon she greatly shone her light along the dreary way,
Till I arrived at that sweet spot Where all my treasures lay.

I rapped at my love’s window saying, “My dear are you within?”
And slowly, she unlocked the door and slyly I stepped in.
Her hand so soft, her breath so sweet, her tongue did gently glide,
I stole my arm around her waist and I asked her to be my bride.

“Oh take me to your chamber love, oh take me to your bed,
Oh take me to your chamber love, to rest my weary head.”
“For to take you to my chamber love, my parents they won’t agree,
So sit you down by yon bright fire and I’ll sit close to thee.”

“Oh many’s the night I’ve courted you against your parents’ will,
But you never said you’d be my bride, and now, my girl, sit still.
For tonight I have to cross the sea to far Columbia shore,
And you will never ever see your faithful lover more.”

“Oh are you going to leave me here, oh what else can I do?
I’d break through every tie of love to go along with you.
Perhaps my parents might forget. I’m sure they must forgive.
For from this moment I’m content along with you to live.”

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Garry Gillard for the lyrics of Chris Foster’s version